All posts by Gabrielle Kirschner

Let It Be

Blog Assignments, Marsh Restoration

Allowing salt marshes to grow with non-native plants may be preferable. Trying to reverse the problem of non-native plants inhabiting salt marshes by removing non-native plants might be the same issue as introducing the non-native plants in the first place. Once the immigrant plants are already in the salt marsh, it is unnecessary to create more issues by removing the plants. If it is impossible to restore the marsh with native plants without removing the non-native plants, than the non-native plants may be removed.

For example, Hurricane Sandy hit Jamaica Bay Wildlife very hard. One of the water areas that was previously comprised of manmade freshwater is now merged with the salty waters of the bay. There is a discussion at the refuge about whether or not to restore that water. When I was there, I wasn’t sure about what the best solution would be – either replacing the freshwater or keeping it mixed with seawater. However, I think the seawater from Sandy should remain. There is reason argue for the replacement of the freshwater for the sake of the birds that stop by the Jamaica refuge. Yet, I think it is still preferable to leave the area alone and let nature run its course. The birds can find other freshwater areas around Queens to visit.

Additionally, perhaps the non-native plants can adapt, evolve, and eventually metamorphose to the point in which they are looked at as semi native salt marsh plants. Who is to say whether or not these plants will still be looked at as non-native in hundreds or thousands of years. This concept is similar to new immigrants arriving to the United States and being unwelcomed. However, many years later those previously non-native people are welcomed with open arms. This occurred with Southern Italians and Jews in the last century.

Salt marshes are mixed with non-native plants and perhaps that is our own faults. Regardless, leave the salt marshes alone. Let nature do its job. Examples from Hurricane Sandy and history point to letting non-native plants or people create their own niche even in areas that may not have been previously their own.

Innocent Destruction…Until 1960s

Destruction of the Salt Marshes

Salt marshes have been a destination for many settlers throughout history. They are attractive pieces of land to settle due to the low topography that has hardly any rocks. This allowed settlers to move in and easily develop the coast without much effort. Before the introduction of modern environmental studies in the 20th century, the colonists had little to no emphasis on caring for the environment as a whole. The colonists’ outlook when utilizing the environment was to benefit from it without any real concern for its well-being.

Now, the tides have turned. There has been an incredible growth of knowledge related to the environment. Most importantly is the changing of public opinion about environmentalism. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, published in 1962, is widely recognized as launching modern environmentalism in the public sphere. One main aspect of Silent Spring is that it emphasized the horrors of pollution. The book was widely read across the country and resulted in a greater awareness of the ills of harming the environment.

Before modern environmentalism, salt marsh settlers did not have a cultural or societal emphasis on environmentalism. The colonists manipulated nature for its resources: timber, land, animals, and many more. I believe the damage of the salt marshes at the time was indeed an “innocent destruction.” The settlers did not take college classes about the problems with destroying ecosystems and changing natural habitats. They merely knew what they needed and saw a solution in the form of utilizing the natural resources surrounding them.

However after the widespread dissemination of information about the importance of environmental conservation, there is no excuse for people mindlessly destroying salt marshes. Major environmental devastations after prevalent awareness about the issue are wrong. Still, it is difficult to blame the colonists for destroying salt marshes; they did not know what they were ruining. It is only after a rising modern commitment to environmentalism that people can be faulted for, at the very least, not even considering the problems with destroying our vulnerable environment. Hopefully the modern commitment to environmentalism that has grown since Carson’s seminal work will continue to help save nature from the perils of pollution, disregard, and human machination.

Lenape: Hunter-Gatherers

Land of the Lenapes

When my refrigerator is running low on food, I drive over to my nearest supermarket. I load up my shopping cart with fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. Then I proceed to checkout and return home with relatively little effort exerted. Drastically different, the Paleoindians were not able to shop for food this way instead they were hunter-gatherers. When the Paleoindians needed to feed their family, they had to go out and kill an animal, which would then be their source of food. A single mammoth kill was enough to feed around twenty to forty people. Some of the meat would be eaten right away, while the rest of the animal would be preserved for more long-term use. The Paleoindians were adept at using the entirety of a kill for food, clothing, and tools. This practice is something that today’s New York City dwellers should try and keep in mind. Garbage overflows in landfills and some of that garbage probably can be reused!

One specific tribe, the Lenape, was also hunter-gatherers. The Lenape men hunted deer and bear all year long. In autumn, they created large hunting groups, which included women that would go out and kill many deer. They used a technique called a “fire surround” in which they essentially trapped deer in a ring of fire and then forced them into traps or snares. They also pursued geese, swans, pigeons, and turkeys by using nets or arrows. Fish was also part of their diet; the fish were caught using lances and long drag nets. Estuaries were a great source of food because they provided oysters, clams, mussels, and crabs.

The Lenape’s relationship with their environment was one of necessity. The Lenape relied on the animals living around them for sustenance. By virtue of being hunter-gatherers, they were dependent on the land because they needed somewhere to hunt. The earth is diverse and therefore supplied the Lenape with a varying diet that included mammals, fowl, fish, and seafood. I’m sure the Lenape truly appreciated the land that they owed their life to much more than today’s urban population. Mostly everyone, including myself, repeats the supermarket shopping experience on a regular basis in order to have food. Imagine if that wasn’t an option. We would all have to take a page from the Lenape’s and learn to appreciate the goodness that Earth provides straight from the ground and through its natural animal dwellers.

Bio Blitz

Bio Blitz

When I first heard that the Macaulay sophomores were going to do the Bio Blitz, my first question was what exactly is a Bio Blitz? As I began to understand what we were doing, I thought the 24-hour canvassing of Central Park would be a unique, once in a lifetime experience. To the humor of some of my friends, I began to look forward to the Bio Blitz.

When I arrived at the Bio Blitz, I was assigned to the plant group. The first thing our group did was to go examine a specific tree. One of the group leaders discussed how to differentiate between trees by examining the bark, leaves, and size of the tree. We then learned how to use a press to preserve a piece of the tree for further studying. The pressed piece of tree could be submitted to an archive, where other botanists can examine and confirm that the sample is indeed that specific specie. The press reminded me of a fond memory of when my grandmother used to show me how to make pressed flowers with heavy books, so the Bio Blitz was off to a great start!

The plant group proceeded to take a long walk through Central Park. Finally we arrived at our destination, the Shakespeare Garden, which is comprised of the flowers that Shakespeare referenced in his literature. The garden was beautiful and brimming with flowers. We observed cardinals, roses, fennel, rosemary, pansies, and hibiscus flowers. I love reading Shakespeare, so seeing the flowers that he discussed in his plays all in one place was exciting. The connection between nature and literature is amazing and affects the way Shakespeare’s famous lines regarding flowers are understood. It is impossible to understand the full extent of what Shakespeare meant when he used flower references, if one does not know what the flower he is referring to look like. The use of biological discovery to appreciate literature and the beauty of the plants themselves was a fun journey.

The Bio Blitz experience helped me feel more connected to the natural environment. It gave me the tools to continue learning about all of the nature around me. I enjoyed using technology, such as the iNaturalist app, to further my scientific knowledge. Now, if I am outside and see a species I am curious about I can use the app to locate the species easily! With the advent of the Internet and social media websites, it is extremely easy to upload a picture of an unknown plant and have someone from around the world identify the plant for you. Another route is to use online archival databases to look up thousands of species at the touch of a button. Technology continues to help make knowledge accessible to the masses.

The Bio Blitz experience gave me a better appreciation for the wealth of plant types in New York City’s Central Park. Bio Blitz confirmed New York City’s incredible diversity, both in people and plants. Additionally, a picture of me wound up in a NY Daily News article, which was very exciting! The Bio Blitz was a great learning experience both in and of itself and for all my future outdoor discoveries.